Gingrich ignores Obama's "a Muslim" comment

(CBS News) LAKE CHARLES, La. - After a Louisiana voter today called President Obama a Muslim during a question-and-answer session at a campaign stop, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich chose to ignore the comment rather than correct the misstatement.

After speaking to an overflow crowd of over 200 people at the Harlequin Steaks and Seafood Restaurant, Gingrich opened the event to questions. A local man, Bob Nolan, of Lake Charles, began by making a comment about the president.

"I believe that Obama is not stupid," Nolan said to Gingrich. "I believe he knows exactly how the economy works, but I also believe that number one, he's a Muslim. Number two, he's a student of Saul Alinsky ... and I believe that it's his policy to bring this country to its knees and ruin the United States of America." Another man chimed in, "I believe that, too."

Gingrich paused for a brief moment before he answered, "I believe this is a president who prefers power to prosperity and who follows policies that centralize power in the government. And if the price of that is that we're poorer and we have fewer jobs and that we have less energy, that's fine with him. It's a price he'll pay. "

The former House speaker went on to address the man's comment about the late Saul Alinksy, a leftist political organizer, but he did not mention the comment that Obama is a Muslim.

"I agree with you about Alinsky," Gingrich said. "I think he's driven by a radicalism to remake America and he doesn't frankly care what level of pain it costs the rest of us."

Obama's religious faith is Christian. Asked later why Gingrich did not correct the misstatement of fact, spokesman R.C. Hammond said, "The guy asked a question and he answered it. It was not done intentionally. Someone in Louisiana asked a question, he answered it. That's all there is to it. Newt, on numerous occasions in public town hall venues, has stated that President Obama is an American, that any discussion of his birth certificate is silly. He has said several times on national television and venues that he believes President Obama is a Christian. And he's also said several times he also believes President Obama is a nice guy."

The moment for Gingrich was reminiscent of 2008, when GOP presidential candidate John McCain was told by a Minnesota voter that she could not trust Obama, then the Democratic nominee, because she thought he was an "Arab."

But McCain did correct the woman's statement, saying, "No, ma'am, he's a decent family man, a citizen who I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues. And that's what this campaign is all about."

[Parsons_College_IA]

The question is not whether or not Obama/Soetero is an "American" as stated by all of the presidential candidates, although he may not be since he has shown no non-forged proof of where he was born and all records that would answer the question have either been sealed, denied access, or are "missing"! The question is and has ALWAYS been whether or not he is a "Natural Born Citizen" with regard to his eligibility to be POTUS!!!! The answer is, he is NOT a natural born citizen since, by his own admission, his father was born in Kenya and NEVER had U.S. citizenship, preventing him from having TWO American citizen parents, thus disqualifying him from being constitutionally eligible to be POTUS REGARDLESS of where he was born! In addition, since Kenya was under the British Crown at the time of Obama's birth, the British Nationality Act of 1948 automatically conferred British citizenship to all children born to British-citizen fathers. Thus, at birth, again REGARDLESS of WHERE Obama/Soetero was born, he automatically became and still is a British citizen, again making him constitutionally ineligible to occupy the Oval office!
Finally, when adopted by his Indonesian step father Lolo Soetero, young Barack Obama became an Indonesian citizen and legally renamed Barry Soetero, attending Indonesian school and Islamic instruction under that name, possible only to Indonesian citizens as his Indonesian school records and school photographs verify. Since Indonesia and the U.S. did NOT recognize dual citizenship, Barry would have LOST his U.S citizenship IF he had it! If he had it, and lost it, he could have, upon returning to the U.S., applied for reinstatement. Sadly, there are NO immigration records indicating that he ever made such an application. In any case, the citizenship status would have then been "Naturalized", NOT "Natural Born", again making him ineligible! Finally, EVERY congressman, senator, federal judge, member of the liberal MSM, conservative media, and ALL of the presidential candidates know this!!! Sadly, the politically-correct induced paralyzing fear of being called "racist" and of negroes rioting has intimidated them ALL into not only telling the lie, and promoting the lie....but living the lie!!! America is sick! America is dying! There appears to be no hope!

[petie3]

Newt is a debater and is used to the give and take with bright college students. He ignored the question because any answer would generate a 'gotcha.' When Newt skewers the media they stick.

[GoCubsGo]

The "Natural Born" citizen requirement was instated by our founding fathers at a time when people feared that our country could be taken over by "foreigners" running for office. That fear has long been dead; however, the requirement still exists. It's outdated and should be removed.

[Parsons_College_IA]

The question is not whether or not Obama/Soetero is an "American" as stated by all of the presidential candidates, although he may not be since he has shown no non-forged proof of where he was born and all records that would answer the question have either been sealed, denied access, or are "missing"! The question is and has ALWAYS been whether or not he is a "Natural Born Citizen" with regard to his eligibility to be POTUS!!!! The answer is, he is NOT a natural born citizen since, by his own admission, his father was born in Kenya and NEVER had U.S. citizenship, preventing him from having TWO American citizen parents, thus disqualifying him from being constitutionally eligible to be POTUS REGARDLESS of where he was born! In addition, since Kenya was under the British Crown at the time of Obama's birth, the British Nationality Act of 1948 automatically conferred British citizenship to all children born to British-citizen fathers. Thus, at birth, again REGARDLESS of WHERE Obama/Soetero was born, he automatically became and still is a British citizen, again making him constitutionally ineligible to occupy the Oval office!
Finally, when adopted by his Indonesian step father Lolo Soetero, young Barack Obama became an Indonesian citizen and legally renamed Barry Soetero, attending Indonesian school and Islamic instruction under that name, possible only to Indonesian citizens as his Indonesian school records and school photographs verify. Since Indonesia and the U.S. did NOT recognize dual citizenship, Barry would have LOST his U.S citizenship IF he had it! If he had it, and lost it, he could have, upon returning to the U.S., applied for reinstatement. Sadly, there are NO immigration records indicating that he ever made such an application. In any case, the citizenship status would have then been "Naturalized", NOT "Natural Born", again making him ineligible! Finally, EVERY congressman, senator, federal judge, member of the liberal MSM, conservative media, and ALL of the presidential candidates know this!!! Sadly, the politically-correct induced paralyzing fear of being called "racist" and of negroes rioting has intimidated them ALL into not only telling the lie, and promoting the lie....but living the lie!!! America is sick! America is dying! There appears to be no hope!

[Parsons_College_IA]

The question is not whether or not Obama/Soetero is an "American" as stated by all of the presidential candidates, although he may not be since he has shown no non-forged proof of where he was born and all records that would answer the question have either been sealed, denied access, or are "missing"! The question is and has ALWAYS been whether or not he is a "Natural Born Citizen" with regard to his eligibility to be POTUS!!!! The answer is, he is NOT a natural born citizen since, by his own admission, his father was born in Kenya and NEVER had U.S. citizenship, preventing him from having TWO American citizen parents, thus disqualifying him from being constitutionally eligible to be POTUS REGARDLESS of where he was born! In addition, since Kenya was under the British Crown at the time of Obama's birth, the British Nationality Act of 1948 automatically conferred British citizenship to all children born to British-citizen fathers. Thus, at birth, again REGARDLESS of WHERE Obama/Soetero was born, he automatically became and still is a British citizen, again making him constitutionally ineligible to occupy the Oval office!
Finally, when adopted by his Indonesian step father Lolo Soetero, young Barack Obama became an Indonesian citizen and legally renamed Barry Soetero, attending Indonesian school and Islamic instruction under that name, possible only to Indonesian citizens as his Indonesian school records and school photographs verify. Since Indonesia and the U.S. did NOT recognize dual citizenship, Barry would have LOST U.S. his citizenship IF he had it! If he had it, and lost it, he could have, upon returning to the U.S., applied for reinstatement. However, there are NO immigration records indicating that he ever made such an application. In any case, the citizenship status would have then been "Naturalized", NOT "Natural Born", again making him ineligible! Finally, EVERY congressman, senator, federal judge, member of the liberal MSM, conservative media, and ALL of the presidential candidates know this!!! Sadly, the politically-correct induced paralyzing fear of being called "racist" and of negroes rioting has intimidated them ALL into not only telling the lie, and promoting the lie....but living the lie!!! America is sick! America is dying! There appears to be no hope!

[NateGreene]

Let me see how this works:
I believe someone said Newt Ginrich was a member of the American Nazi Party?

[NateGreene]

This has been a test.

[JosefSerf]

Dear Sarah,

You need to proofread your own work and think critically about what you write because it makes no sense.

You wrote that "when GOP presidential candidate John McCain was told by a Minnesota voter that she could not trust Obama, then the Democratic nominee, because she thought he was an 'Arab.' But McCain did correct the woman's statement, saying, 'No, ma'am, he's a decent family man...'"

That was NOT a correction! It was an insult to Arabs!

To say that Obama is not an Arab but a decent family man is to say that they are two different categories of people, i.e, that Arabs are not decent people!

It amazes me that McCain got away with the blatant back-handed insult.

Also, in case you did not know - and you do not seem to know- being an Arab and being Muslim are NOT the same thing. While it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, most Muslims are not Arab. More to the point, there are literally millions of Arabs who are CHRISTIAN!

[ali_x3]

actually if you see the video of it, he didn't seem mean it that way.

[nopcspokenhere]

Hey he told YOUR boy Stephanopoulos CBS, in an interview about his 'Muslim faith'. And whoops, Georgie had to step in an correct him!!!! The gig was up then. This time someone didn't 'correct' and you are critical of that???? There is free speech and hundreds of millions of us will really speak loud and clear in November. But the fact is,his administration is the most anti-Christian and anti-Jewish ever in the history of the United States. So tell me what that makes him????

[voodoo81]

Your an idiot. First off, he has done nothing anti jewish or christian and there are not hundreds of millions of voters. There are maybe 120 million.

[joancj]

nopcspokenhere: You should be ashamed of yourself...disgusting! Your post is absolute fiction. Can't you evangelical crazies find something else to rant about other than President Obama's birth and religion? Yes, people will speak loud and clear in November and President Obama will be re-elected.

[A3er]

Newt loves it when he doesn't have to tell a bald face lie and someone else does -- that way he can get his cake and eat it. He pretends he 'didn't hear it' and hopes it ends up on the video and audio and he's a happy guy.

Lies, misinformation and distortions are his stock and trade and have been his whole career. Romney looked at him and his lies and said to himself 'if he can get away with it I guess I'll give it a try' and Romney has been lying constantly ever since. And the media rarely, if ever, challenges his huge lies about almost everything.

Newt developed great technique constantly lying to his wives and has it down pat now.

[JimNauseam]

No shock here, Newt has built his career on slimeball politics. He is the master of the dog-whistle, and this is just another example. After all, Newt, more than any other, taught the GOP to become the pack of brainless, rabid attack dogs it is today. First lesson: "go negative early."

[artistscott]

NEWT IS A PIG... NOT JUST A LIZARD..... HE IS A PIG SUCKING LIZARD.
MITT IS A MORMON, WOMAN HATING FLUFFY HAIRED LIAR! SANTORUM IS AN IGNORANT HOLIER THAN THOU GAY BASHING ***** FOR THE PEDOPHILE CATHOLIC CHURCH!

[MrBlank2You]

It shouldn't surprise anyone that a GOP candidate would ignore a thoroughly discredit untruth about the President -- because it's become an article of faith among the willfully ignorant "crazy quarter" that is largely unreachable by facts or reason -- but more starkly, because Gingrich and other GOP presidential hopefuls have regularly told the most absurd and outrageous lies about each other, their own Republican nomination opponents.